EP 0653878 A2 19950517 - Halftone pattern geometry for printing high quality images.
Title (en)
Halftone pattern geometry for printing high quality images.
Title (de)
Geometrie von Halbtonrastermustern zum Drucken von Bildern hoher Qualität.
Title (fr)
Géométrie de motifs de demi-teinte pour l'impression d'images de haute qualité.
Publication
Application
Priority
US 15263093 A 19931112
Abstract (en)
A digital halftone pattern geometry adapted not to the characteristics of variable dot size printing presses but to the operating characteristics of the printer itself achieves a high degree of image quality. The techniques for creating the halftone pattern geometry include linear spot growth to provide uniform darkening and the use of a super-cell structure to maximize the number of tint or gray scale levels. A preferred super-cell structure is of hexagonal dispersed-dot form to reduce low frequency artifacts by spreading them over a greater number of frequencies. Hexagonal centered super-cells also distribute row and column artifacts along three axes of symmetry instead of two. The super-cell structure gives sharp edges and a greater amount of edge area available to manipulate when the super-cells are tessellated to form an image. This halftone cell arrangement is especially suited to thermal transfer printers, which print linear rows and form good rectangular shapes. The resulting image exhibits smooth darkening even for cells having few pixels. <IMAGE>
IPC 1-7
IPC 8 full level
B41J 2/52 (2006.01); G06T 5/00 (2006.01); H04N 1/405 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP US)
H04N 1/4055 (2013.01 - EP US); H04N 1/4056 (2013.01 - EP US)
Designated contracting state (EPC)
DE FR GB IT
DOCDB simple family (publication)
EP 0653878 A2 19950517; EP 0653878 A3 19950621; EP 0653878 B1 20000112; DE 69422596 D1 20000217; DE 69422596 T2 20001019; JP 2961503 B2 19991012; JP H07237322 A 19950912; US 5957593 A 19990928
DOCDB simple family (application)
EP 94308400 A 19941111; DE 69422596 T 19941111; JP 30431294 A 19941114; US 97948597 A 19971128